Ricki Herbert is resigned to putting out an All Whites team against Fiji in their Oceania World Cup qualifiers without his captain Ryan Nelsen who is struggling with a hamstring injury.
The much-anticipated return of the Blackburn Rovers defender is again on hold after Nelsen missed his club'sUEFA Cup second leg tie against Greek club Larissa yesterday and is by no means a certain starter for the league game against Birmingham City on Monday morning (NZ time).
In Brisbane before last night's A-League game between his Wellington Phoenix side and Queensland Roar, Herbert said: "I believe Ryan has had problems through training and I'm not sure how much longer he will be out. With him not figuring in the Cup game it suggests he might not be ready to play. Missing the past two weeks would not be an issue if he did in fact play the league game and was able to get on a plane after that and fly out for the games against Fiji.
"But I'm now working on the assumption he might not be available through injury," said Herbert. "We will take it from there once we know for sure."
In Nelsen's absence, Herbert said vice-captain Tim Brown would step into the role against Fiji at North Harbour Stadium next Saturday and in the return leg four days later.
Herbert did not see Brown's long spell out through injury as an issue. He said that UK-based Chris Killen, David Mulligan and Chris James too had had little intense football recently.
